U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,496 to Kile discloses a tufting apparatus for producing patterned tufted goods using yams of different colors. This apparatus is capable of selectively implanting yams of different colors into a backing to produce a tufted product having a predetermined multicolored pattern. The patent apparatus employs multiple heads spaced across the width of a backing material. Each head comprises a hollow needle for penetrating the backing and implanting yarn tufts in the backing by reciprocating the head and feeding yarn through the needle pneumatically. This device uses a system of gears and rollers to select the desired yarn for implantation into the backing for each penetration by the needle. The multiple heads are stepped in synchronism across the backing for a distance corresponding to the spacing between the heads in order to implant a transverse row of yam tufts. This process is repeated as the backing is advanced to complete the product. A computer controls the selection of yarn implanted by each needle for each penetration of the backing in order to reproduce the desired pattern in the finished goods.
The apparatus disclosed in the Kile patent and its method of operation have been subsequently modified. Such modifications are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,991,523; 5,080,028; 5,165,352; 5,158,027; 5,205,233; and 5,267,520, all to Ingram., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,383 to Davis et al. These subsequent patents disclose an apparatus in which the backing is shifted transversely relative to the reciprocating needles while the backing advances through the apparatus. Thus, rather than the multiple heads which carry the hollow needles being moved across the backing, the subsequent patents disclose an apparatus wherein the backing rather than the heads is shifted transversely. In addition, the device disclosed in the Ingram patents comprises a plurality of hollow needles carried on a widthwise extending member. As the yarn is implanted by the reciprocating needles, the backing is shifted in the transverse direction by an amount corresponding to the spacing between adjacent needles in order to implant a transverse row of tufts. A knife blade is associated with each needle and positioned on the opposite of the backing for cutting the yarn at the lower position of the needle.
The apparatus disclosed in the Ingram patents further includes a mechanism for supplying continuous lengths of the different yarns to the needles comprising a system of gears. More specifically, this yarn supply mechanism includes a main rotatable gear shaft tied to and driven by the main drive shaft that reciprocates the needles. A plurality of small gears extending along the length of the main gear shaft are selectively engagable with the main gear shaft to feed the desired yarns to the needles. The individual gears for feeding the yarns are selectively shifted in and out of meshing cooperation with the main gear shaft by air solenoids. Once the yarn is fed by the gear system, the yarn is drawn to and out of the needle by pressurized air from a manifold mounted to the reciprocating needle mounting bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,028 discloses a mechanical system for retracting yarns from the needles when other yarns are desired to be implanted. The retraction mechanism includes a reciprocating plunger disposed between two yarn guides. The reciprocating plunger pulls the yarn to be retracted out of the needle and an independent pneumatic mechanism, such as an air solenoid, drives the reciprocating plunger. The reciprocating plunger operates in unison with the pneumatic mechanism which feeds the yarn to the needles.
Although the tufting apparatus disclosed in the Kile and Ingram patents performs well, there is a need for a tufting apparatus for producing patterned textile goods with increased throughput, increased reliability, and greater pattern variety.